


Not Rhetorical

by loisselina (LoisSelina)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: ERMMMM, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, I hate tagging, Injury, Step-parents, Whump, Young David, based on prodigal son tv show cause i watched 12 episodes in under 12 hours, because if once isn't going to give David someone to resolve his daddy issues, do not judge me, imma have to, knife crime in school so like be careful about that but its not described, me writing another wip, might fuck around and make oneshots into a verse whom knows, more likely than you think, not me, robin is david's stepdad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22513666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoisSelina/pseuds/loisselina
Summary: Based on a scene from Prodigal Son 1x08.Robin is David's stepfather verse.David runs head first into unnecessary danger, cause he's my favourite dumbass, he's also Robin's favourite dumbass.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood, Prince Charming | David Nolan & Robin Hood
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Not Rhetorical

**Author's Note:**

  * For [justanoutlaw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/gifts).



> For Taylor who got me hooked on Prodigal Son, how dare you

Robin was going to kill David, or David was going to kill him, he was certain of it. 

He stood outside the school, clenching his fists so hard that his nails dug into his palms and were drawing tiny droplets of blood. He had told David, he had told him five times actually, wait for backup; wait for the sheriff and deputy, wait for the people who use magic to turn up and help. 

But no, Robin’s 20 year old step-son had run into the school with nothing but a single fire taser to protect himself from a guy going around the school with a machete.

Robin was going to kill him. 

“Please.” He begged sheriff Graham. “Please just let me get in there, I could help.” He couldn’t really fire an arrow in close combat but he was proficient with a sword. He tried to struggle in the grip of one of the younger deputies who was keeping him from running into the school, but the deputy held onto him as though his job depended on it, perhaps it did.

“Robin you know I can’t let you. We’ll get the guy, and David will be fine, we’ll get him out, we’re just figuring out where abouts they both are.”

Robin knew that; he had helped out a couple of times with operations not entirely dissimilar to this one, but this time was different, that was _his kid_ in there. 

Most of the classrooms in the school had been empty, classes on various field trips, including both Roland’s and Henry’s, and the ones which had been occupied had been locked down, it was unlikely that the guy would be able to get into any of them, they could have waited. 

But David had never been good at patience, he was stubborn and wild hearted, and unquestionably good hearted.

So he ran head first into the fray. 

* * *

The minutes ticked by but felt like hours, and with each second Robin felt closer and closer to a heart attack.

The magic users, including Regina, had assembled and conducted a plan, there was something comforting seeing that Regina looked how he felt. 

Just as they were about to walk into the school two figures walked out, well one was being dragged out, the magic users raised their hands, the sheriff and his deputies raised their guns.

“It’s okay!” One of the figures, David, called lightly. “He’s out I tasered him.” 

Regina was the first to lower her hands and run towards the two of them, Robin broke out of the deputy’s hold and reached David seconds after Regina, at the same time as Graham and the pair of paramedics. Leaving David with Robin, Regina, and the paramedics.

Graham and a deputy practically carried the tasered man towards one of the waiting cars.

Robin felt breathless as he came to a stop in front of his son, in his mind he could still see that little four year old David had once been, David looked drained but he was smiling, Robin looked down and could see a dark wet patch growing on David’s shirt, which was now ripped, and the slash was filled with blood. 

“Davey-.”

“I’m fine.” David interrupted, telling both Robin and the paramedics trying to usher him towards the ambulance. “It’s just a scratch, a flesh wound. I’m not going to hospital.” 

“It really would be best if you came.” The bald gruff sounding paramedic said as Robin and Regina both narrowed their eyes at David.

“No, thanks but I’ll be fine.” 

“We’ll patch you up here then.” The second paramedic insisted.

David sat on the hood of a car and refused to look up as the paramedics treated him, trying again to urge him to go to the ER but David refused again, the whole while he could feel his stepfather’s eyes on him. 

* * *

When he finally did look up the paramedics were moving away, one of them having a quiet word with Robin, David shrugged on his shirt, wincing a little as the movement brought a stabbing pain through his ribs from where he had been stabbed. He was about to button it up when Robin turned his attention back to him. 

“Three simple words, I want you to repeat them after me: Wait. For. Backup.” 

David usually had a smartass comment lined up to dissolve the tension and to show it wasn’t a big deal, but David knew the tone of voice Robin was using, it was his barely restraining his anger voice, one which made David feel like he was eight again. 

“Robin, I didn’t think there was time-” He tried to reason, his voice was soft, and his blue eyes were big and emploring, the same ones he would use when he would beg his step-father to take him with him on trips out places, or hiking when David wanted to get away from the castle.

Robin held his arms out like a goalkeeper preparing to stop a football, raising his eyebrows ever so slightly, silencing David. “This isn’t rhetorical, David, I _actually_ want to hear you say it- _Wait_ -” He prompted, rolling his hand like a conductor instructing a band.

“Wait for backup.” David repeated, enunciating each word, one of his hands held up in surrender. He locked eyes with Robin and could see the worry clear in his eyes and in all the creases on his face. 

Robin sucked in a breath then shook his head. “Davey, what were you playing at? It wasn’t an ideal situation but it was under control.”

“I’m sorry, okay?” David took a slow breath. “I have to admit, it might not have been the most thought out plan…”

“To go chasing after a nutjob with a machete? In a school which was locked down so there wasn’t anywhere for you to hide and you were his only moving target to hunt? Yeah I’d say it wasn’t.” Robin rubbed his forehead hard as he tried to not think of all the things which could have gone wrong. Well, worse. 

“I couldn’t just stand here and do nothing. I wanted to help, like you always have.”

Robin knew he couldn’t really fault him for that, it was something Robin would have done, even now that he had kids to think of as well as a wife, not just himself.

“Dad.” David’s voice was so quiet that Robin thought that he might have imagined David calling him that rare moniker. “I really am sorry.” 

Robin finally let out the breath he wasn’t even aware he had been holding. He closed the distance between him and his stepson and wrapped the young man in a hug, cradling the back of his head and pulling him towards his stomach. 

David let out a small hiss of pain as Robin’s fingers laced through his dirty blond curls, and pulled back when they touched something wet. 

Robin squeezed his eyes when he held the bloody fingers in front of him, he still hadn’t ruled out killing David for being an idiot. “You decided not to tell the paramedics you had also been whacked on the head?” 

David gave a sheepish smile in response, his eyes still wide, begging him not to be too mad. 

Robin couldn’t resist that look of David’s. “It’s a good thing I was already going to drag you to the emergency room then, isn’t it?” He rolled his eyes good naturedly at David’s groan.

Regina had been watching the scene play out between David and Robin while both assessing David’s injuries from a slight distance and texting.   
“I’ll magic us there, I’ve already text Tink to collect the boys once they’re back from their field trips.” She gave David a firm yet loving look when he looked surprised. “You really think I’m about to let you out of my sight either?”   
She had been in David’s life for the past nine years, and she loved him as much as she loved Henry or Roland, and she had been just as worried when she had to wait outside of that school.

* * *

It took next to no time for them to get to the ER, thanks to Regina’s magic, and Robin took charge of filling in David’s form to book him in, he knew everything about David anyway, leaving David to slump on a seat between Robin and Regina, both of them stopping him from sleeping as soon as they started to see his eyes droop. 

The emergency room was relatively quiet and because of his injuries David was seen first, his side where he had been stabbed was stitched up, as had the wound on his scalp, David managed to not grimace or wince too much while the doctor was doing it, but hearing Regina and Robin bombard the doctor with a hundred questions each. 

“I’m sorry about them.” David eventually interrupted. 

The doctor laughed. “All parents do the same.” 

None of them bothered to tell him that they didn’t share a drop of blood between them, there wasn’t a way to argue that Robin and Regina weren’t his parents, not really. 

Robin sniggered when he realised that the medicine the doctor had given David had kicked in, his son was sat staring at the wall looking spaced out. “You okay, dopey?” 

“ _Robin_.” Regina defended David, rubbing his back, as soon as he was no longer injured she’d be joking like that, but when one of her kids was hurt she became rather protective. 

David just nodded his head.

Robin carefully ruffled David’s hair, then pressed a kiss to the top of it, he felt David lean against him. “Let’s get you home, sunshine.” When he looked down at his stepson, his son, he could see that scared little kid he had once been, he wrapped his arm around him.   
David had moved out, into his own apartment, three months previous- wanting independence and privacy apparently, and Robin had missed him but the absence suddenly it him like a train.   
He knew the second that he looked at Regina that she was thinking the same as him, and that David would be staying with them until they could feel safe when he wasn’t in their direct eyesight, but the image of him bleeding coming out of that school was fresh in both of their minds, Robin thought that David might be staying with them for a long while.

“Home?” David mumbled, his thoughts were as thick as molasses and keeping up with the audible conversation was hard enough, he didn’t bother trying to discern their silent one.

“Yeah, mate, home. You’re going to come home for a little while, you’re injured you’re going to need a bit of help.” He helped him to his feet as Regina signed the needed forms for him to be let go. “We haven’t touched your room, sunshine, we’ll get some food into you then you can get some sleep.” 

“Dad,” David’s voice was slightly slurred by tiredness and the medicine, “‘m sorry, really.” 

“I know Davey, it’s okay, I forgive you. Just don’t do it again.” 

“Wanted to be ‘hero- like you.” David yawned, the medicine had loosened his lips, at least he could blame his honesty on that if Robin asked him about it tomorrow.

Robin felt his eyes tear up, he could remember a young David telling him that, and saving him from losing himself to the darkness. “You’re already a hero, Davey, you saved me.” He whispered, pressing another kiss to David’s wavy blonde hair. 

**Author's Note:**

> Might write some more fics for this verse, if you have any prompts at all (mostly based around Robin and David, but can be in the past when David was younger up to around this age (20ish) but also can contain others)
> 
> let me know in a review or send me an ask on tumblr/follow me and message me loboselinaistrash


End file.
